Helix Mattress Review

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For this review I’ll be digging into the suite of new beds from online mattress company Helix, a popular brand known for its wide variety of mattresses. The latest product line includes six different models of various firmnesses and feels, but I’ll only be looking at two of them: the Moonlight and Midnight.

Will these freshly launched beds live up to the hype of their predecessors or will they fall short of their custom-made comfort? I won’t know until I put them to the test, examining how they sleep and how they feel to determine whether or not one of them could be the mattress of your dreams.

CONSTRUCTION

While both the Moonlight and Midnight are hybrid beds that fall under the Helix umbrella, they’re actually quite different. The former offers a plush feel intended to provide the sleeper with ample pressure relief. Conversely, the latter is billed as medium firm, with balanced support reportedly ideal for side sleepers.

As I mentioned up top, the new Helix line features six different models that are broken down into three categories: Soft, Medium, and Firm. There are two mattresses at each level, one of which is built with a latex alternative and the other with memory foam.

Below, I’ll detail their individual characteristics and then compare them side-by-side.

As I mentioned up top, the Moonlight is one of two Plush beds in the new Helix collection alongside the Sunset. It features soft foam top layers overlaying a pocketed coil system, which makes for a gentle yet buoyant structure.

Moonlight

Cover – Initially, all Helix mattresses come with the same cover, made of 100% polyester. I found it to be stretchy and thin, allowing for some nice breathability. However, if you want something more amped up, you can opt to swap out the standard cover for the brand’s UltraCool one, which is composed of a phase change material for temperature regulation.

All mattresses in the Helix line come standard with the same cover

Comfort Layer – The comfort layer is made up of the brand’s Helix Dynamic Foam, a latex-like alternative that’s super soft and has a quick response to pressure, which should allow you to move around and change positions with ease. Since it’s similar to latex, it also comes imbued with natural cooling properties.

Transition Layer – Directly below the Dynamic Foam, you’ll find a thin section of poly foam. Slightly firmer than the material above it, this layer is meant to gradually transition the sleeper into the pocketed coil system in the base.

Support Layer – The bulk of the mattress is made up of this section of individually wrapped coils. This system brings a supportive lift to the structure, working to position the sleeper on top of the bed. Since the coils are individually wrapped, they’re also going to encourage extra breathability as air flows through the spaces in the coils.

Base Layer – Last but not least, you’ll find a thin section of high-density poly foam. This layer doesn’t affect the feel of the bed too much, functioning mostly to give the pocketed coils something off of which to react.

While the Midnight also features a hybrid construction of foam and pocketed coils, its design has been engineered to produce a medium firm feel. It’s one of two new Helix beds categorized this way, alongside the Dusk.

Showing the materials used in the layers of the Helix Moonlight mattress

Midnight

Cover – Initially, all Helix mattresses come with the same cover, made of 100% polyester. I found it to be stretchy and thin, allowing for some nice breathability. However, if you want something more amped up, you can opt to swap out the standard cover for the brand’s UltraCool one, which is composed of a phase change material for temperature regulation.

The Helix Ultra Cool Cover is also available and uses phase change material to help defend against overheating

Comfort Layer – Up top, you’ll encounter a thick layer of memory foam. This material has a slow response to pressure, which means you’re likely to experience some satisfying body contouring. While it might seem odd for a supposedly medium firm bed to feature a memory foam comfort layer, it’s important to remember that the presence of deep sinkage doesn’t always translate to softness; in fact, oftentimes it produces quite a firm feel.

Transition Layer – After sinking through the memory foam comfort layer, you’ll find a transition layer of poly foam. While it’s the same material used in the Moonlight’s transition layer, this one is a bit firmer, which works to curb the sinkage of the memory foam and establish a supportive, medium firm feel as you hit the pocketed coils below.

Support Layer – The pocketed coil system here is the same one used in the Moonlight, crafted to bring some supportive lift to the structure while also imbuing the mattress with some fantastic breathability.

Base Layer – And again, the construction ends with a thin layer of high-density poly foam.

Showing the materials used in the layers of the Helix Midnight mattress

Recap

Though the differences in construction between these two Helix beds might at first seem minor (truly, the only noticeable change is in the comfort layer), they actually do manifest in two totally unique mattresses.

To be honest, I was kind of surprised by the comfort layers used in each bed. One might assume that a plush bed like the Moonlight would use memory foam and that a firm bed like the Midnight would employ a bouncy latex-like foam up top, but here, it’s the opposite.

However, after lying down on each mattress, I found that the materials really did produce the feels the brand was after in ways I wasn’t expecting. The Dynamic Foam in the Moonlight is bouncy, yes, but also super soft and allows for some immediate sinkage. And while the memory foam in the Midnight does feature some deep body contouring, it’s quickly mitigated by the firm poly foam below it.

I’ve yet to assess the other beds in the new collection, but what I see here indicates to me that the six models represent a steady gradient from Plush to Firm, which should allow most customers to find a bed that works for them.

Each mattress in the Helix line has a different color ring to show which model it is.

FIRMNESS

After taking a look at the construction of the Helix beds, let’s chat about their different firmness levels and feels.

Moonlight

As I pressed into the Moonlight, I was struck by how soft the top layer of Dynamic Foam is. I sank through this layer with ease, but never felt stuck thanks to the material’s quick response to pressure.

Pressing into the Helix Moonlight mattress

Midnight

Pushing into the Midnight, I found that I was mainly interacting with the thick layer of memory foam in the comfort layer. This material has a slow response to pressure, so I could feel it contouring around my hand.

Pressing into the layers of the Helix Midnight mattress

Since folks of diverse sizes and shapes are going to feel firmness differently, I decided to enlist three other testers to come in and help me figure out how firm these Beautyrest beds are. To do this, we each took a turn lying on the mattresses, and gave them personal firmness ratings, which we then compiled on the graph below.

While feel is always going to be an individual thing, our responses should give you a good idea of the firmness range you can expect from these beds.

Showing the firmness ratings for the Helix Moonlight and Midnight mattresses based on the opinions of four testers

Moonlight

There was a bit of variance among my testers for the Moonlight, but we landed on an average firmness rating of 5.6. When compared to the industry standard of 6.5 for medium firmness, it’s clear that this bed is quite soft.

I personally gave the mattress a 5.5 as I found its soft foam top layers to produce a gentle feel. While the bounce of the latex-like Dynamic Foam coupled with the lift of the pocketed coils is designed to keep you positioned on top of the structure, you’re still likely to experience quite a bit of sinkage with this bed. This should provide you with pressure relief across your body and could be especially beneficial for side or combo sleepers.

Lying down on the Helix Moonlight mattress

Midnight

My testers and I were pretty much in agreement about the firmness of the Midnight, giving it an average rating of 6.75, which marks it as just a touch firmer than medium firm.

In line with this, I gave the bed a 6.5. Though the memory foam comfort layer is soft and produces some quality body contouring, the other materials in the bed work to counteract this and create an overall firmer structure. In spite of this feel, I think it could make a great option for side sleepers, who will likely enjoy the cushiony support of the memory foam top layer.

Keep in mind that if neither of these feels sounds quite right, you can always check out the four other beds in the new collection: the Sunset (Plush, softer than the Moonlight), Dusk (Medium feel, slightly firmer than the Midnight), Twilight (Firm, designed for side sleepers), or Dawn (the firmest mattress in the line).

Pressing into the memory foam comfort layer of the Helix Midnight mattress

PRESSURE MAP

Another important component of a bed’s feel is pressure, or more specifically where pressure points are likely to form while lying upon it.

To help you visualize where these tension spots might crop up, I placed a pressure map on top of the mattress and lied on my back, side, and stomach. You can see the results on the image below where pressure is represented from blue (low pressure) to red (high pressure).

Moonlight

Pressure map results for the Helix Moonlight

Back – As I sank into the Moonlight, I could feel the top layers of foam filling in the space at my lumbar region for some satisfying pressure relief. In spite of all this sinkage, I never felt stuck in the bed, and found it easy to change positions.

Edge Support – Scooting as close to the side of the mattress as I could, I began to detect some compression through the soft foam top layers. While this would normally make me feel insecure at the edge, the pocketed coils actually did a solid job of lifting me up and keeping me secure in this position.

Sinking into the Helix Moonlight

Side – I continued to feel some nice comfort as I rolled onto my side. Side sleepers tend to favor softer beds that provide cushiony support to the shoulders and hips, so I wasn’t too surprised by the pleasant pressure relief I experienced in this position.

Stomach – Turning onto my stomach, I could feel my hips sinking out of alignment with my shoulders, which caused a bit of tension along my spine. This is typical for plush beds like this, which is why stomach sleepers tend to go for firmer mattresses. That being said, those of you who doze primarily on your stomachs might be better served by one of the firmer models in the new Helix line.

Testing out the Helix Moonlight for side sleepers

Midnight

Back – Lying on my back, I definitely felt as though the Midnight was firmer than the Moonlight, which was kind of odd as I could also feel myself sinking deeply into the memory foam comfort layer. While the body contouring I experienced brought me some pressure relief in this position, it did make it difficult to move around.

Edge Support – As in the Moonlight, I thought the pocketed coil system here did a fantastic job of supporting my weight at the edge.

Lying on my back on the Helix Midnight

Side – Memory foam is usually a good material for side sleepers as it contours gently to the shoulders and hips, so I experienced a great deal of comfort in this position. Along with the Moonlight, I’d say the Midnight could be a solid pick for anyone who sleeps primarily on their side.

Stomach – Though the Midnight’s firmer than the Moonlight, it still wasn’t quite firm enough to satisfy me on my stomach as the memory foam caused my spine to fall out of alignment. I’d suggest strict stomach sleepers check out either the Twilight or Dawn, two of the brand’s firmest beds.

Testing out the Helix Midnight mattress for side sleepers

HELIX VS.

Now that we’ve gone over the nitty gritty details of the Moonlight and Midnight, let’s take a minute to compare them to some of the other mattresses I’ve reviewed. While beds are always going to feature characteristics that set them apart from one another, I think it can be helpful to contextualize these unique specs against one another.

Purple

Another big name in the online mattress world, Purple beds feature a top layer of hyper-elastic polymer over sections of firm poly foam. The result is a bed with excellent temperature regulation and pressure relief. Below, I’ll highlight some of its biggest similarities to Helix.

Range of Products – Since their respective foundings, both Helix and Purple have gone on to launch a wide array of bedding products. While the former has the new line of beds that I’m examining today, Purple also recently launched a new suite of mattresses: the Purple 2, 3, and 4, which come in various firmness levels.

Pressure Relief and Support – I’d also say these mattresses are both great at offering the sleeper a healthy balance between pressure relief and support. The Helix achieves this with soft foam layers overlaying its firm pocketed coil system while the Purple benefits from all-encompassing feel of its hyper-elastic polymer layer.

Casper

Helix and Casper were both founded in 2014 and have since gone on to become two of the most well-known brands in the space. While their approaches have always been different, they actually share a few key similarities.

Balanced Feel – Whether in the hybrid design of a Helix or in the balanced foam construction of a Casper, both brands use a lot of different materials in their beds to satisfying effects.

Breathability – I’d also say these companies really know how to make a breathable mattress. In the Helix, we see this in the combination of a thin cover with a tall pocketed coil system; in the Casper, the cooling comes from the latex-like proprietary foam in the comfort layer.

Nectar

And finally, let’s compare the New Helix line to Nectar, a mattress that derives its gentle, pressure-relieving vibe from a thick memory foam comfort layer.

Side Sleepers – As we discussed above, the Moonlight and Midnight are both great beds for side sleepers, as is the Nectar. All three models benefit from soft foam layers up top, which allow the sleeper to sink in for immediate pressure relief.

Cooling – These mattresses also sleep cool, thanks to the tencel cover and gel-infused memory foam in the Nectar and the individually wrapped pocketed coils and cooling foams present in the Helix beds.

MOTION TRANSFER

Next up, let’s chat about motion transfer, or the amount of disturbance that’s detectable from one side of the bed to the other. While this test is going to be important for all sleepers, those who doze with a partner may find it particularly interesting as it’ll illuminate just how bothered you’ll be by your bed mate’s nighttime movements.

To illustrate this motion transfer, I dropped a 10 lb. steel ball from heights of 4 inches, 8 inches and 12 inches and measured the disturbance it caused: the bigger the lines, the bigger the disturbance.

FYI: Each drop is meant to symbolize a different movement you’re likely to experience in bed, from tossing and turning (4”) to getting out of bed (8”) all the way to full on jumping (12”).

Showing the motion transfer test results for the Helix Moonlight and Midnight mattresses

Moonlight

The Moonlight has quite high motion transfer results, which tell me you’re likely to feel your partner’s movements in the night. Given the bouncy nature of the mattress, I’m not too surprised by these results, but it is something for couples to be aware of.

Midnight

On the other hand, the Midnight exhibited much lower motion transfer results thanks to its thick layer of memory foam up top. This material is excellent at absorbing and containing motion, so helps to curb the bounce from the pocketed coils to ensure that you won’t be too disturbed by your bed mate’s tossing and turning.

SINKAGE TEST

When buying a new bed, most people want to know whether they’ll feel like they’re sinking “into” the mattress or laying “on top” of it. To visualize this sinkage, I placed four balls of varying sizes and densities (a 6 lb medicine ball, a 10 lb steel ball, a 50 lb medicine ball, and a 100 lb medicine ball) on the mattress and measured how much they compressed the surface.

The variations in size, weight and density are meant to simulate different body parts and different sized sleepers.

Using weighted balls to simulate different body parts and check sinkage into the new Helix mattresses

Moonlight

6 lb medicine ball: 1.5 inches of sinkage.

10 lb steel ball: 2.5 inches of sinkage.

50 lb medicine ball: 4.5 inches of sinkage.

100 lb medicine ball: 6.5 inches of sinkage.

Midnight

6 lb medicine ball: 1.5 inches of sinkage.

10 lb steel ball: 2.5 inches of sinkage.

50 lb medicine ball: 4 inches of sinkage.

100 lb medicine ball: 5.5 inches of sinkage.

As you can see, the two Helix beds’ sinkage rates begin to diverge at the 50 lb. marker, with the Moonlight showing above average sinkage for a bed of this construction and the Midnight coming in just a bit below average.

I would note that these results are a bit deceptive; as we discussed earlier, you’re actually likely to feel more stuck in the Midnight than the Moonlight, thanks to the former’s thick memory foam comfort layer.

BASIC INFORMATION

A queen size version of the Helix Midnight mattress on the bed frame from Article furniture

SIZE AND PRICING INFORMATION

If you’re convinced a Helix is the right mattress for you, the size and pricing information for the mattress are below. Please note that these prices reflect standard pricing, but use the code SLEEPOPOLIS125 to save $125 on your purchase of a mattress with one other item!

Size

Dimensions

Price

Twin

39" x 75" x 10"

$600

Twin XL

39" x 80" x 10"

$700

Full

54" x 75" x 10"

$850

Queen

60" x 80" x 10"

$995

King

76" x 80" x 10"

$1,245

California King

72" x 84" x 10"

$1,245

ARE THE HELIX MATTRESSES RIGHT FOR YOU?

Now that we’ve looked at these two Helix mattresses side by side, let’s take a moment to go over some general pros and then a few cons so you can figure out which one is right for you:

Both

A standout feature of both mattresses is their great pressure relief, found in the Moonlight’s soft foam top layers and the Midnight’s memory foam.

I’d also say a big plus for Helix in general is that the brand has so many different options available, allowing customers to really hone in on what they need.

Moonlight

The Moonlight in particular features some fantastic mobility, thanks to the buoyant lift it gets from the Dynamic Foam and pocketed coil layers.

Midnight

For the Midnight, I’d say you get a nice balance between pressure relief and support, which should satisfy a wide range of sleepers.

Customization at an Amazing Price

Materials

Comfort

Support

Value

Cooling

Edge Support

Sex

Smell

Company

Refunds

Trial

Warranty

4.7

Summary

Helix offers a line of six mattresses across a wide range of firmness and feel. Their line also includes two split firmness options, which could be especially appealing if you sleep with a partner and prefer a different feel on your side of the bed.

Logan Block

Logan is the content director of Sleepopolis, which means he not only reviews new mattresses every week, but also curates all the comparisons, best of pages, and video guides on the site. He takes a straightforward, honest approach to his reviews and endeavors to give viewers an objective look at each new product he tries out. Logan’s perfected his method over the course of personally testing over 100 different mattresses, so he’s not only able to discern the overall vibe of a specific bed, but to contextualize its feel within the bed-in-a-box market as a whole. Needless to say, his sleep knowledge runs deep, and he loves nothing more than sharing that knowledge with his readers. When he’s not hopping on a new bed or working with our editorial team to whip up an engaging sleep education guide, you can find him reading books on world history, walking his dog Pepper, or searching for the best cheeseburger in New York City.

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